The invention relates to a container for generally flat rectangular electronic components, so-called chips. The container comprises a tubular housing with a cross-sectional area suitable to receive the electronic components. The container is made of a synthetic material. The tubular housing can be closed on at least one of its ends by a closure member, which can be clamped in at least one recess in a side (or wall) of the housing.
Such containers are used for the transport of components, such as integrated circuits, transistors, resistors, capacitors and the like. They are frequently used as a supply magazine in machines for automatic mounting of components on a support provided with a conductive wiring.
A container of the kind described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,665. In this case, a pin is passed through openings in each of two opposite walls of the tube. The pin is consequently arranged at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the tube. Such a pin cannot always be provided in a simple manner. The pin projects from the walls, which is inconvenient both for transporting the components and for automatically supplying components. The use can also be adversely affected by manufacturing tolerances.
Closure members are also known which are made of a flexible material, such as rubber, and are slipped into the end of the tube and must remain in place by friction. However, it has been found that these closure members do not always remain clamped in the tube. When these members are disengaged, the packed components are lost.